Final reports from Southern at 150 theme groups

Southern at 150 consists of a task force of 180 people assigned to 10 theme groups. Theme groups are: campus infrastructure and plan; faculty; financial resources; graduate studies; leadership, governance and organization; library and information technology; locale and the Southern Illinois region; research and infrastructure; student life; and undergraduate academics.

Task force members include faculty, staff, alumni, students, and business and civic leaders, "all of whom have a desire to see our University get better," Wendler said when he introduced the plan publicly.

"We are bound together by one common trait -- a great affinity, bond and love for this institution."

Wendler emphasized that the work of Southern at 150 will dovetail with ongoing efforts of SIU President James Walker's Vision 2020 initiative. "These are connected efforts. Our charge is to develop more specific goals for this campus," Wendler explained.

About 60 percent of task force members are from the University; 40 percent come from business, industry and the community. Some members have agreed to travel from as far away as California, Tennessee, Chicago and Washington, D.C., to take part.

The task force is led by a leadership council made up of internal and external representatives who co-chair the theme groups along with an on-campus resource person for each committee.

The reports represent many hours of thought and dedication on behalf of the committee members. The Southern at 150 group will next prioritize and refine the suggestions garnered from the committee reports in order to produce a final working document.

Comments about the committee reports may be emailed to Chancellor Walter V. Wendler or Assistant to the Chancellor Susan L. Ferry.